Lighter



Jan. 13, 1942. s. M. LOCKER 2,269,591

LIGHTER Filed Jan. 7, 1959 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 2,269,591 7 LIGHTER Sidney M. Locker, Bronx, N. Y.

Application. January 7, 1939, Serial No. 249,743 v4 Claims. (01.(iv-v.1) I

This invention relates to an improved igniting device adapted forefiicient and economical combination with a mechanical pencil.

I In pencil and lighter combinations which have been already proposed,the lighter devices have been complicated in structure with springs,

moving parts, spark producing elements, wicks, fuel chambers, etc., forthe most part located within the pencil casing, thereby restricting thefuel capacity of the lighter, if not on the other hand making the wholearticle cumbersome, expensive, and less serviceable. I

Among the highly creditable objects of this invention are provisions ofa practicable fuel capacity for the igniting device withoutsubstantially reducing space in the article of convenient size forholding a good supply of lead. Another of these objects is to reduce theessential elements of the igniting device to minimum in number, size,and complexity, yet maintaining an efficient cooperation in thefunctions of the parts used while the cost of manufacture isconsiderably lowered. Other objects pertaining to the aesthetics,usefulness, and simplicity of design will become apparent from thefurther description. l

In brief, advantageous features of the improved igniter for obtainingthe aims of this invention will be shown to reside principally in havingonly a fuel chamber and wick occupy space within the pencil holder orcasing, and in using a pocket clip device of favorable utility forsecurely attaching the pencil-igniter article to a garment as anefficient spark-producing member in cooperation with the ignitible wickand a flint properly mounted on the casing.

Further objects and novel features, in addition to those specificallymentioned, will be explained in detail with the ensuing description andthe accompanying drawing and will be set forth in the appended claims,

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal view of the pencil and lightercombination with members of the lighter device shown in section.

Figure 2 is a detailed perspective view of a container for a removableflint bar.

Figure 3 is a top view of the pencil and lighter casing.

Figure 4 is a top view taken on the line 11-11 of the casing cover.

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective elevational view of the casing capwith its attached pocket clip which carries a flint bar striker.

' In the several figures of the drawing, like reference numerals willindicate like parts. As shown in Figure 1, the pencil and lightercombination comprises a casing or outer tubular body I which may becircular or polygonal in transverse cross-section, and an innerconcentric tubular body 2 for containing a mechanical pencil mechanismand a full sized lead magazine retained in, body 3. The elements of thepencil vmechanism are not completely described nor illustrated, as theyform no part of the specific invention except in assembly therewith.

Since it is desired to utilize space in the combined" article to fullcapacity for a maximum size lead magazine and fuel reservoir, it is ofinterest to show the entire structure of the fuel reservoir and itsrelation to the pencil mechanism receptacle. The pencil mechanism intubular body 3 is operated by manipulation of the ferrule 4 for loadingand ejecting of lead through an opening 5 at the apex. I A tubular fuelreservoir 6 which is preferably filled with an absorbent material, suchas cotton, to be saturated with a readily ignitible fuel, e. g.

light naphtha, lies between the concentric tubularbodies l and 2 beingsealed from the interior of the inner tubular body by a closure 1 andhaving a lower bottom closure 8 shown as a disc connecting tubular body2 with tubular body I. At the top of the fuel chamber or reservoir 6,having as. a surrounding side wall, the casing wall I, need be only acover 9 carrying a wick guide l0 through which is projected a wick II.This cover or closure member may be attached to the casing by a threadedflange l2 screwed onto an outer threading on the casing. The wick guideis preferably an angular narrow tube through which projects the wickinto close proximity-with the upper edge of. a spark producingmember-I3, which is preferably mountedlon the casing 'in a trough orchannel l4 forming only aslightindentationin 'the' casing wall I.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the channel [4 is filled with a removableflint bar held securely by projecting lips Ma and by the cover screwedtight to seal the fuel chamber. As shown in Figure 3, a notch K5 in thecover above the flint permits free passage of a striker off the surfaceand upper edge of the flint.

In Figure 5 is illustrated a cap l6 which is adapted to slide over theupper portion of the pencil casing I so as to enclose the upper portionof the fuel chamber including the cover, wick and wick guide, and eventhe flint and a fuel supply screw H. To more firmly attach the cap tothe casing so as to prevent fuel evaporation from the wick and to keepthe spark producing member clean, the cap may have an inner threading I8for engaging with threading IS on the casing I. A pocket engaging clip20 is attached to the cap l6, as by means of rivets 2| and may serveusefully to also carry a frictional spark producing member 23 which hasthe shape of a friction wheel segment or a bur and is constructed ofsteel for effective use as a striker on flint. Clip 20, preferably givena curved shape, as shown, is

constructed of resilient or yieldable metal and carries a knob 22 foraiding its function in securely holding the entire article in a pocketof a garment. The knob 22 serves to keep the striker bur 2| removed fromcontact with the garment.

To use the lighter, cap 16 is detached from the casing, then striker bur23 is held against the exposed surface ofthe flin bar l3 and drawn alongthis surface toward the ignitible wick end exposed above notch 15 andsubstantially in, line with the flint bar surface.

As is customary and convenient, the cap may additionally carry in itscrown an eraser, not

to come within the scope of the appended claims,

in which it is desired to claim all novelty which the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. A lighter comprising a fuel chamber having a surrounding side wall. acover including a narrow wick passage, and a bottom closure, aflint barmounted in a channel on the exterior of the side wall with one end ofsaid bar contiguous to and overlapped by said cover, a wick projectingfrom the interior of the fuel chamber throughsaid wick passage toterminate above the cover in proximity to and above said end of theflintbar, a cap adapted to slide over the upperexterior portion of saidfuel chamber and thereby enclose the cover and the wick, andastrikermem- I ber mounted on said cap so as to extend along the exteriorof the fuel chamber side wall and in position to function as a pocketclip when the upper exterior portionof said fuel chamber is enclosed bythe cap.

2. In a device of the class described, a pencil shaped casing, a fuelreservoir at one end of said casing and having the internal casing wallas a surrounding side wall, a closure on said casing serving to coverthe fuel reservoir, said closure extending past the external surface ofsaid casing. an angular wick guide forming a restricted passage throughsaid closure, a wick projecting through said guide from the interior ofthe fuel reservoir and having an igniting end adjacent an externalsurface of said casing, a spark forming member mounted on the externalsurface of the casing adjacent said igniting end of the wick andrestricted from extending beyond said closure, a detachable cap adaptedto house the igniting wick end, the wick guide, and the spark formingmember when attached to the casing, and a yieldable member attached tosaid cap in position to press against an external surface of said casingwhen the cap is thus attached to the casing, said yieldable membercarrying a spark producing frictional surface.

3-. A lighter comprising a fuel reservoir, a tubular casing forming sidewalls of said reservoir, a wick holding removable cover for saidreservoir, a. wick projecting through a restricted passage in said.cover, means for attaching said cover to said tubular casing, means onthe exterior of said tubular casing for holding a removable flint barlocked into position by the coverwhen the cover is attached to saidtubular casing, the attached cover having a portion protruding over andagainst one end of removable flint bar in said holding means, adetachable cap adapted to fit over the portion of the tubular casingwhere the cap can conceal the cover and flint bar holding means, and aflint striker member attached to the cap in a position to extendlongitudinally on the exterior of the tubular casing when the cap isattached to the tubular casing.

4. A friction lighter device for combination with a pencil mechanism,comprising a tubular fuel reservoir between two concentric tubularbodies, a cover for one end of the fuel reservoir, said cover beingfastened 'to the outer tubular body and having a narrow wick passage,a'wick projecting from within the fuel reservoir through said wickpassage toterminatein an igniting end spaced from the surfaceof saidcover, means for sealing the opposite end of the tubular fuel reservoir,means for sealing the fuel reservoir from the interior of the innertubular body which is adapted to contain a pencil mechanism and leadmagazine, a spark producing, member mounted exteriorlyon the outertubular body in position to discharge sparks in a straight line to theigniting wick endvwhen struck with a frictional spark producing membermoved in the direction of said igniting wick end witha portion of saidcover projecting over the sparkproducing member mounted on the outertubular body, a cap adapted to be tightly attached to the outer tubularbody so as to enclose said cover, said igniting wickend, and said sparkproducing member mounted on the outer tubular body when the lighter isnotrin use, and a pocket clip secured to said cap, said pocket clipcarrying a frictional spark producing member.

SIDNEY/M. LOCKER.

